Berbig, Georg (1866-1912)

Georg Berbig, pastor in Coburg, author of the treatises, "Die Wiedertäufer im Amt Königsberg in Franken in den Jahren 1527-28," in Deutsche Zeitschrift für Kirchenrecht XIII (1903) 291-353, and "Wiedertäuferei im Ortslande zu Franken," ibid., XXII (1912) 378-403; also "Die erste kursächsische Visitation im Ortsland Franken," in Archiv für Reformationgeschichte (published by W. Friedensburg) III, IV, and V (1904-1909). In the first treatise he published valuable records from the ducal Haus- und Staatsarchiv zu Coburg on Anabaptist history, which Wappler corrected in his book, Die Täuferbewegung in Thüringen, von 1526-1584 (Jena, 1913) 522-524. The second added supplementary material; Wappler corrected some erroneous readings in it on p. 525. In the third treatise Berbig again produced source material on the Anabaptists in Franconia. On the other hand, his interpretation of the Anabaptist movement, entirely along the lines of the prejudiced, traditional old Lutheran presentation, was less gratifying. He did not succeed in understanding its nature, and could not give a correct evaluation. Wappler was sharply critical of Berbig's work in Anabaptist history.